Joseph Raymond “Ray” Schiflett, IV

Joseph Raymond “Ray” Schiflett, IV of Wimberley and Driftwood, Texas, was born on June 10, 1989 and passed away on October 22, 2021, but what a life! Although only 32 years old when he passed from this mortal coil, he had done more in his short and wonderful life than most people do in 75 years.

He had visited all 50 states and 10 countries. He was in the top 10% of his 2007 San Marcos HS class and had an IQ of 152. He attended The University of Texas at Austin but decided after one semester that he was very opposed to the views of many of his university contemporaries who constantly expressed disdain for the USA, so he disenrolled to serve his country by enlisting in the US Navy. He served four years and became BU (Seabees) Petty Officer Third Class (SCW) based in Gulfport, Miss. He was the Top of his Class at the Expeditionary Combat School, a Firearms Range Master, a Marine Corps Martial Arts Program Instructor, a certified Combat Life Saver, an IED Identification Specialist and EOD Training, a U.N. Personnel Search Expert, a Combat Fire Team Leader, a Radio Communications Certified Operator and a Company Fitness Leader, among other positions. He served overseas, primarily in Liberia for over 2 years. He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal, the Seabee Combat Warfare Pin, the Battle Efficiency Battalion Medal, the Expert M9 and M16 Marksmanship Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. Many people would not be alive today if Ray had not entered the US Navy; he saved dozens of American and African lives. He was a hero.

He was invited to try out for the US Olympic pistol team. He placed in the top 5 of all contestants at several state-wide shooting contests even though he used only a store bought Kimber 45 ACP whereas most others had $5,000+ “raceguns”. He flew into the eye of Hurricane Harvey as a news photographer with his dad in August, 2017 aboard the Hurricane Hunter C-3 Orion plane “Kermit” based out of Lakeland, Florida. His photos were used in most of the local papers and presented nationally. Before that he drove into the eye of Hurricane Claudia with his dad in 2003 at Port Lavaca.

His greatest accomplishment was marrying Teresa Sherie Schiflett on June 5, 2020 and getting to be an exceptional stepdad to her fine 7 year old son Jeremy. Although they could only be married 16 months until he left us, this was the happiest phase of his life. Thank you Teresa! He deeply loved his mom, Peggy Schiflett, his dad Raymond Schiflett, III, and his sister, Shayna Schiflett as well as his paternal grandmother Mary Schiflett (decd. 2007), his great grandmother “GG” (Mary Cavender Schiflett) (decd., 2001), and his maternal grandparents Evelyn and John H Kucera, Jr. (decd. 1996).

His favorite movies were “The Great Race” and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”. His favorite music was 60s, 70s, and 80s rock, and country. He loved the opera “Carmen”, Joaquin Rodrigo’s Spanish symphonies, and George Gershwin. He was terrible at playing the piano, halfbad at trumpet and guitar, but sang karaoke well with a deep baritone. He liked construction but hated ladders. He loved his German Shepherd “Patton”, who is an exceptional service dog and cared for him deeply. He did not like cats as he preferred pets who would actually help with chores and obey commands. He kept a wary eye on the 3 foot tall Japanese samurai puppet in his grandmother’s house after his sister scared him with it. He loved Bullitt Mustangs and corvettesespecially the C7s. He was an “old soul” who treasured self-responsibility, honesty, and loyalty. His body was broken by his service to the USA but he never regretted it, calling it, “a great adventure” from which he emerged with life-long friends with tight bonds. He disdained the VA for not providing better care to his military comrades and using bureaucracy to slow down and stop aid from reaching those who needed it the most.

He loved baseball, especially the Houston Astros, and disliked the Red Sox. He was borne during the UT baseball college world series final in 1989 and passed away minutes after the Astros defeated the Red Sox for the AL title in 2021 (yes, he was aware and hung on until they had secured the last out). He loved pro football, especially the Denver Broncos, and hated the New England Patriots. He loved UT football and baseball and fully believed that OU s****. He was at the Rose Bowl victory over Michigan in 2005 and was delirious with joy when they beat USC the following year. He always appreciated UT coach Mack Brown for calling him when he was about to go overseas on deployment and telling him that what he was doing was far more important than what anyone on the football field was accomplishing. He loved Ducati motorcycles and reached a speed of 183 mph once. He was officially banished from Pass Christian, Ms. for doing this. He founded The Drifters MC while he was in the military. And… he was an exceptionally talented Blackjack player.

He hiked a portion of the 500 mile Colorado Trail with his dad. He rode 100 km in the Hotter Than Hell bike race in Wichita Fall, Texas at age 13. He loved dressing up. He was a professional magician from age 11 to 17 and placed second in a statewide competition, and did pro-bono performances for several local charities. His specialty was being an Houdini-style escape artist. He went to two World Series in 2005 and 2019 and attended an Indy 500 race in 2009. He could be exhaustingly stubborn just like his grandad, John. He loved baseball memorabiliaespecially Astros items. He once drove 7 hours with his dad to get Jeff Bagwell’s autograph. He had great sense of humor and lit the lamp on a lot of faces.

He always wanted to own a full-size grappling hook (for no apparent reason) and got one for Xmas in 2018…couldn’t stop laughing. He never took illegal drugs but he was a wine and beer aficionado. He hated cooking until he found out in the military that he was great at it, then he loved it. He was a master chef, once placing third in the San Marcos steak cook-off using only our back patio round $79 black kettle. He really enjoyed the Utah Shakespeare Festival and participated in their acting classes in 2006. He was respectful, a gentleman, kind and always respected the women in his life. He was short at 5’ 7” but lived tall. He had a heart as big as Texas. He often said that he was borne a Texan and wanted to die and be buried nowhere else. Accordingly, he will be buried at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Cemetery and the celebration of this great life will be at 11 AM on Thursday, October 28, 2021 in the chapel on site. Donations would be appreciated to help his bride in offsetting his medical and funeral expenses, which are overwhelming. Please consider sending your contribution to RBFCU in either San Marcos or Dripping Springs, checking account #219815341, Routing #314089681 made out to Ms. Teresa Schiflett.

“Good night, sweet prince, and may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” Hamlet, Shakespeare

“A gathering of angels

Appeared above my head

They sang to me this song of hope

And this is what they said

They said, come sail away, come sail away

Come sail away with me (lads)”- Styx, 1977